The Merriest Christmas (Southern U O’Brien Brothers Sister #5)

CHAPTER 1

Emmy

This is going to be the best Christmas ever.

I repeated it out loud to make it real.

"Best Christmas ever," I said with a nod then gripped the steering wheel tighter as a gust of wind tried to blow my car off the road.My tiny Honda Fit was not built for this.I could hear the groceries and gifts shifting around in the back.Maybe I should've secured them better.But the weather wasn't supposed to get bad for another few hours.Unfortunately, no one gave Mother Nature the memo.

Good thing I was almost home.

My smile couldn't be contained.Home.Even the thought made my heart warm.

Sure, I loved college.

I loved the freedom that came with it.

I loved my classes.

I really loved my roommates at Magnolia House, who were my friends but, over the years, had become more like family.

I scoffed a laugh.

No doubt some of them would become family eventually.

Finn and I had a secret bet going.His money was on Archer, our oldest brother, being the first to pop the question to his girlfriend Honor, but mine was on Chase.He was the one who believed in soulmates, and when he found Charlie?He knew he wanted her forever.Although…if I was being honest, I couldn't really discount Baylor.He was definitely the most impulsive, and though he'd been blind to it for years, June, my best friend, had been secretly in love with him a really long time.Bay was right there with her in the love department, head over freaking heels, though he almost lost her because he'd been too scared and stubborn to admit it.Dex was the last person I expected to want to put a ring on it—but when I thought of the way his eyes went soft when he looked at Maisie…Maybe I should place an extra bet on him?

Anyway, that wasn't really the point.The point about my roommates was this.

My brothers, as they so often did, walked right in and stole my friends.

Well, maybe "stole" wasn't the right word.

But it was close.

The story of my life went like this: I'd make a friend.They'd be amazing, and we were inseparable—at first.Then came what I liked to call The O'Brien Brothers Effect.Didn't matter who it was.Once my friends met my brothers, that was it.Game over.They were the stars of the show, and I was just their little sister.

Which I loved being by the way.

My family, including all five of my brothers, were the people I loved most in the whole world.

I just wished that someone would see me, choose me, want me.

That I'd be someone's first choice.

And now, I sounded needy, like a selfish, whiny baby.

Jealous too.

Of my brothers of all people.

Ugh.

Shaking my head, I smiled to myself.I couldn't wait to see everyone.

Couldn't wait to see my mom's face when she realized all of her kids would once again be under her roof for Christmas.

She didn't have to tell me that's what she wanted.

I could read between the lines.

Everyone was scattered now.Since several of my brothers had graduated, secured jobs playing for MLB teams, and moved away, Mom was kind of down.She did a good job hiding it. And I mean, of course, she loved Finn and me.But when you're used to sharing Christmas with all six of your kids, naturally, she'd feel a little melancholy, thinking this would be the first one we didn't spend together.

Not if I had anything to say about it.

That was all I really wanted for Christmas: for my family to be happy and together.

And I'd all but guaranteed it would happen.

All the arrangements had been made.

If everything went to plan—and it should—everyone would be here.

I checked the clock after I parked in the driveway.

Mom would be getting home in a couple hours.That should give me enough time to get the house set up.Loaded up with bags from the car, I walked inside and placed everything on the kitchen counter.

"Hey, Finn," I said, noticing my little brother sitting at the kitchen table.

He had a book in his hand.

As usual.

"Good read?"

"Yeah," he said then read something that made him smile."It's for book club.Have you started yet?"

"Nope," I admitted, "but it's the first thing on my agenda after getting the house ready for Mom.Speaking of which, did you—"

"Move the couch, so there'd be more room for gifts?Yeah."

"Oh awesome, what about—"

"Hung the stockings on the mantle too."

"And—"

"I also detangled the lights, made sure we have wood for the fire, and got the boxes of decorations out of the garage like you asked me to."

I blinked as he set down his book and looked up at me.The glasses weren't annoying at all, but that raised brow?I knew he was going to say something sarcastic before it even left his mouth.

"And I solved world peace."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah.What exactly have you been doing?" he asked.

"Well," I said, lifting the bags from the counter, "I went to the store and got all the things that will make it a fantastic Christmas."

Finn had the nerve to scoff.

"You laugh, but you have no idea how hard it is to plan something like this, Finn.I have to be on top of everything.There can be no surprises."

"Isn't that the point of wrapping presents?"

I rolled my eyes."There's more to the holiday than presents.That's like the grand finale.But then there's everything else."

"Like…"

"Like having the right ingredients to do our annual gingerbread competition—"

"A tradition you started last year after watching too much Food Channel," Finn put in.

"—or making sure everyone has their preferred snack or beverage.You know, Mom loves her Christmas mints.Dex and Bay always request my hot chocolate cocoa with the mini marshmallows.Chase has to have his peppermint tea, and Archer will be crankier than Scrooge himself if we don't have candied yams at dinner."

"Archer's always cranky," Finn said.

"I will be telling him you said that," I replied."But still, the yams and Honor's presence should make him happy.Don't you think?"

Finn got up with a shrug and started rifling through the groceries.

"So, did you get anything for me?" he asked.

"Duh," I said and threw him a bag of tortilla chips."Picked up a jar of your favorite salsa too.Extra spicy.It's in the bag by the sink."

Finn held the salsa up like a trophy."You're the best, Em."

"I know this," I said, discreetly hiding one of the bags behind my back."You know, I invited Rose."

"You did?" Finn said, salsa and chips all but forgotten."What'd she say?"

"That she'll stop by."

"When?"

"Could be any minute now."

"Seriously?"

I nodded.

"How long is she staying?" Finn asked, his voice full of hope and expectation though I could tell he was trying to play it cool.

"How long do you want her to stay?" I said back.

He didn't say it.Didn't have to.The answer was clear as day on his face.

Forever.

My brother was in love, and I knew then I'd made the right decision.

"Emmy."

He was obviously suffering, so I decided to put him out of his misery.

"Rose has a big family like us."I shrugged."She said she'll hang for a bit, but then she has to go home to spend the holiday with them."

"But Rose is coming here for Christmas Eve," Finn repeated.

"Yep."

"Because you asked her?"

I nodded again.

"Why?" he said."I know she's your roommate and all.But like you said, she's got her own family."Finn crossed his arms and gave me a stern look."What are you up to?"

"Who me?" I said with faux innocence then shook my head."Do you really care, Finn?Rose is coming, and no offense, but you are in desperate need of a shower.I'd go now if I were you."

Finn's jaw ticked once then he pulled me into a hug."Thanks, Em, I think I will."

I frowned, calling out to him as he ran up the stairs, "Wish you would've waited till after the shower to give me that hug!"

"Love you too, sis!" he called back.

I chuckled under my breath as I pulled out the other item I'd gotten specifically with him and Rose in mind.

Mistletoe.

Now that would make my baby brother's year.Rose was my only original roommate who hadn't fallen head over heels for one of my brothers—yet—and honestly, I got the impression that she was in love with Finn, but the two of them were doing this strange dance between friendship and love that was just so cute and yet so frustrating.Although I was loathe to lose yet another one of my friends to The O'Brien Brothers Effect…I wanted this for Finn.And for Rose.

So, I was going to do what I did best.

Hanging the mistletoe in the optimal spot, I already had a plan for the best way to get Finn and Rose beneath it, therefore leading to their first kiss, and hopefully, their HEA.

That done, I went to work on the rest of the house.

Yes, Finn did a wonderful job of getting things started.

But the decorations weren't doing anyone any good inside those boxes.And there was still so much baking to do.Not to mention preparation for all the holiday festivities.

"Alright," I said, turning up the volume on my phone and cranking my Cozy Christmas Playlist."Let's do this."

#

An hour later, I had the living room looking like something out of a Hallmark movie; the tree was strung with lights, garland, and several ornaments—though I left some off because decorating the tree had always been a family affair, and I knew my brothers would want to put up a few; I also hung garland strung through with lights on the mantle; several of the gifts I'd wrapped were placed under the tree; and the whole house smelled like cookies because I'd been baking non-stop.

Was it wrong to pat myself on the back for a job well done?

Maybe.

But when Mom walked in and gave me the brightest smile, I knew I'd accomplished one of my goals.Surprise her with a house that's warm and inviting and full of Christmas cheer.Check to all of those.

"Emmy," she said and pulled me into a hug."When did you find time to do all this?"

I shrugged."All in a good day's work."

"I thought you just got home.

"I did, but that's what planning is for."

Finn came down the stairs then and said, "Plus, she had help."

"I did," I agreed.

As Mom pulled us both in for another hug, I held her just as fiercely.

"I'm so glad you're both here," she said then cleared her throat."It'll be a little strange without your brothers, but we'll try to have a good day regardless."

"I know we will, Mom," Finn said.

"Me too," I said, not giving anything away.

If I could pull this off, it would be the surprise to end all surprises.But if I couldn't, I didn't want to get her hopes up.The flights were booked—I should know; I'd found and booked them.My brothers and I had been in contact for the last several weeks, ironing out the details, coming up with backup plans.Still.Disappointment was the one thing I wouldn't be giving anyone this Christmas.If it didn't work out, that emotion would only be felt by me.

"How was your drive back?"

"Fine," she said, "we hit some bad traffic but not nearly as much as we thought we would.This weather isn't fooling around."

"Hmmm.Hey, Mom?"I looked behind her, and my eyes went wide.

"Yeah, Emmy?"

"Did you invite the baseball team to spend Christmas with us?"

"No, of course not."

I sighed in relief."Oh good because I—"

"I just invited the ones who couldn't go home for Christmas," she finished.

"—don't think I got enough food for everyone," I mumbled."Ah well, that was really nice of you, Mom."

"It was," Finn said.

"And I guess I can just go get more."

Mom shook her head with a smile."Emmy, it smells like a bakery in here.I'm sure you got enough."

Yeah, that might be true.

If my brothers weren't coming.

But I knew first-hand that baseball players could eat like there was no tomorrow.

"Seriously, it'll be okay," Mom said while the players filed past, several saying hi to Finn and me."Why don't you rest now while the guys get settled?I told them they could stay in your brothers' old rooms."

As three, no four, of the Wolves walked by, I nodded, trying to wrap my head around how everyone was going to find somewhere to sleep inside this house.

"Damn, is someone making cookies?" one of them said.

"That would be me," I said.

"Can I have one?"

"Sure, just leave a tip in Mitsy.She's the little jar shaped like a polar bear dressed as an elf."

He blinked.I blinked back.Then Mom rolled her eyes and led him to the kitchen.

"We definitely need more food," I said once they were gone.

"Weren't you going to read?" Finn asked.

"Yeah."

He pointed to his forehead."Mom's right.You should relax, give those wrinkles a rest."

"Ha ha."Elbowing him in the ribs, I was about to go find my book when the doorbell rang.Opening it, I saw Rose standing there on the threshold."Hi, Rose!So glad you could make it."

"Me too," she said with a smile."I love my family, but they were driving me crazy."

"Tell me about it," I said, shooting my brother a look.

"Hey, Finn."Rose waved at him."How's it going?"

"Better now that you're here," he said—then blushed.

Gah, my baby brother was too cute for words.

"I mean, it's going fine.I like your sweater.Looks good on you."

She glanced down at her plain gray sweatshirt then back to him and said, "Thanks.I like yours too."

"You do?" he asked.

"Yeah, really brings out your eyes."Rose gave him another smile then looked my way.She held up a bag I hadn't noticed."Heard you say something about needing more food.I brought a family-size bag of marshmallows.Will that help?

"It will," I said, though I knew we'd probably need more than that."Thank you so much, Rose."

"No problem," she said then tilted her head."So, book club.Have either of you read the book?"

"Not yet," I said at the same time as Finn said, "Yeah."

Rose lifted a brow at Finn."Are you loving the heroine as much as I am?"

"Hell yeah," he said."And the world building is crazy."

"Right?It's like the authors know exactly how to draw us in."

And then they were off, talking books, and I was left alone.

Which was awesome because all I wanted to do at that point was decompress and read a little.I'd just sat down on the couch and cracked open my hardback when there was a knock at the door.

Brow furrowed, I rose and went to answer.

It was too early to be any of my brothers.

Their flights weren't set to arrive for a while.

Maybe one of the baseball players locked themselves out?

When I opened the door, I looked up and saw the one person who could ruin my holiday.I frowned up at him, hoping, praying he was a hallucination.But all he did was stare back at me.

"Emilia," John aka Seaver said.

"What are you doing here?" I said and crossed my arms.

"I was invited."

"By who?"

I felt like growling when his lips tipped up in a grin that I remembered, no matter how hard I tried to forget.

"It couldn't have been Finn.You two were never that close, and I don't even know you," I said.

He leaned in, bringing his warmth with him, and I hated how much it affected me.

"Now, we both know that's a lie," he said quietly.

"Really?Johnathon, John, Seaver, I don't even know your name."

"It's Seaver."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he said quietly, "but it's nice to know you memorized all of them.Just in case."

I'd had enough."Again, why are you here?It's obvious that no one invited you.Are you trying to ruin everyone's Christmas?"

Before he could answer, Mom's voice shocked me, "Emilia O'Brien, stop being rude," she said."I invited him."

I looked over my shoulder to find her standing in the living room, hands on hips.

"Now, will you kindly move so our guest can come in?"

Frozen to the spot, I waited for him to walk by, but instead, he stopped right next to me, close enough that I heard the words I knew were meant only for my ears.

"Thanks for the warm welcome. Glad to see you're still so passionate, Emilia."

His warm breath fanned against my neck, causing my pulse to flutter.

And that's when I knew.

I was wrong.

This was going to be the worst Christmas ever.